Command Central aka Project Planning

I have done a lot of blogging and composed Podcasts on Mind Mapping. I have also talked about the Walls of Cork and how to use them to manage thoughts and projects. Well, today I am going to share with you my latest development! Nicely dubbed "Command Central!"

We were on a very tight budget so doing an entire wall in corkboard was definitely out of the question! Instead, we used foam core board! This stuff works out well for more than just science projects for the kids! It's an inexpensive way to do your Family Organizing Board and perfect for Command Central or Mind Mapping.

I didn't want to just use a black 30 x 40 piece of foam core as it is so boring and very plain. I also needed something HUGE so multiple projects could be tracked. So I snagged my more creative mother and drug her with me to the fabric store. :o) I love moms! We found some very nice material to cover the foam core with and off we went back to her house.

I wanted to keep this project as simple as possible for all of those out there who are more like me and don't have a creative bone in their body! For those of you who have an abundance of creative flair, please share with me your ideas on your own project boards! I would love to hear and see them! As for this simpleton, we used a stapler to attach the fabric to the foam core. :o) I told you, I like it simple!

I could have stopped at one or two pieces of foam core, but instead I went for the gusto and used 4 - 30x40 pieces. It looks GREAT!

In order to mount them on the wall in the very plain and small office, I used wall mirror hooks I picked up at Ace Hardware and they worked out perfectly! I was a little concerned that the overwhelming size of the boards would make the office/closet look itty bitty, but much to my surprise it made the office seem a heck of a lot bigger than it really is! Woo hoo!

Once I had all four pieces mounted on the wall, I printed off sections for our Project Planning board. For this client, we segmented them out by customer and marketing projects. This way, anytime their Business Development team had a new action item or project they could pin up the emails, documents, etc. to the board and the rest of the team could track it.

Now the emails printed off worked out nicely, but they were also inundated with phone calls as well. So, instead of writing each project on a piece of paper, we used some pretty 3x5 cards. We wrote the project on the card and pinned it to the proper area.

Not one to use plain Jane office supplies, I had to buy some nifty tacks! The great part was the more decorative tacks came with a nifty foam backing. I used a binder clip to attach the foam to the board and then put the regular tacks in the foam so I had a nice place to store the tacks and it was easily accessible.

The entire board, including fabric, cost about $50. The majority of the cost was tied up with the foam core and that was primarily because I used the big sheets. If you use the regular 20 x 30 it would probably cost you a whole whopping $25 to put together your own Command Central!

The best part about the whole experience is when the Director of Business Development saw the new board, he LOVED IT! He didn't know what was all on the board, but it felt like his team had everything in control and it definitely felt like "Command Central".

Happy Organizing!

Suzanne Babb